Proposed Law Links Civil Servant Salaries to Military Pay: Key Provisions of Draft Bill.

Overhaul of Salary Structures for Public Sector Employees

According to Novyny.live: Ukraine is considering a major shift in how public sector employees are compensated, with a new proposal tying their wages to military pay levels. Draft bill No. 15093, submitted on March 19, 2023, aims to cap maximum salaries in the state sector during martial law. This initiative comes amid ongoing efforts to manage fiscal resources and ensure equitable compensation during wartime.

Under the document, the baseline financial support for military personnel will be set at 150% of the level established as of January 1, 2023, effective April 1, 2023. This benchmark could reshape pay rules for civil servants. For instance, the minimum salary for a state employee in 2026 is projected at 8,320 hryvnias, while the subsistence minimum for able-bodied individuals that same year will be 3,328 hryvnias.

Maximum Salaries and Bonuses

Notably, the top salary for a head of a central government authority cannot exceed 15 times the minimum salary for local-level civil servants. Additionally, bonuses for state employees in 2026 are capped at 30% of the fixed salary fund.

The proposed law also impacts several other categories of workers, including:

• Judges of the Constitutional Court
• Judges of general courts
• Various military personnel categories
• Certain law enforcement staff
• Some representatives of security agencies
• Other individuals involved in combat operations or national defense

Ultimately, these changes aim to adapt the pay system to the realities of martial law, potentially leading to significant adjustments in the financial support for public servants.

The adjustments outlined in draft bill No. 15093 reflect the government's attempt to streamline financial expenditures amid war-related instability. Using military compensation as a baseline for calculating civil servant salaries could foster greater financial fairness, though it also raises concerns about possible social repercussions for state-sector employees.

It remains to be seen how these changes will affect the motivation and efficiency of public sector workers—a critical factor for ensuring stability and national development during wartime.